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EU-sceptic UKIP support hits 20%: UK poll

Support for the eurosceptic UK Independence Party (UKIP) has spiked to 20 per cent while Britain's ruling Conservatives have hit their lowest rating this year, according to a poll.

The ComRes survey for the Independent on Sunday and Sunday Mirror newspapers showed Nigel Farage's UKIP up four points since last month to achieve its highest ever result in a poll by the consultancy.

Support for the Conservatives was down 3 per cent at 29 per cent, the poll said.

Farage's personal approval rating increased seven points since last month to 27 per cent, level with Prime Minister David Cameron, according to the survey.

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The poll provided good news for the opposition Labour party, which secured 35 per cent support, unchanged from last month but a lead of six points over the Tories.

The pro-European Liberal Democrats received their worst ever result in a ComRes poll at just 7 per cent overall support, down 2 per cent.

The poll comes around two weeks after the UKIP leader was widely judged to have performed well in two live televised debates with Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, leader of the Liberal Democrats, over Britain's future in European Union.

In the debates both leaders drew battle lines ahead of European Parliament elections being held on May 22.

Cameron's personal rating was down 4 points since last month, Labour leader Ed Miliband slipped 2 points to 20 per cent while Clegg's rating was down one point to 12 per cent.

Cameron's rating may have suffered due to his handling of the parliamentary expenses row involving his culture minister Maria Miller, who was forced to quit on Wednesday following the furore.

The survey showed 62 per cent of voters believe the prime minister displayed a serious lack of leadership in the way he dealt with the case.

The poll was based on interviews with 2003 British adults conducted online between April 9 and 10, and the data was weighted to be representative of all Britons aged 18 and over, ComRes said.